Hope to a Future
by Mischieviant
Summary: Two years have passed and InuYasha and Kagome have moved on. As new Lords take their place in the politics of Japan, demons and humans become uneasy. War is inevitable, love is inescapable. [KagomeInuYasha, MirokuSango]
1. Two Years Later

Hope to a Future

Disclaimer; I do not own InuYasha or any of its characters, etc. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do own the story plot though.

Two years later…

Tomorrow was the night of the new moon and tonight the grounds where dark, the breeze warm and soft. The air in the garden was sweet with the fragrance of new loquat blossoms. By late winter the small, white petals would fall delicately and litter the grounds, tangling in the grasses, and succulent fruit would grow from the boughs in their place. Kagome loved to hand-pick the fruit herself and make jams from their tangy flesh.

It was his favourite.

They sat on the dark wooden slats of the veranda; a monk, a demon slayer, the wife of the village chief, a demon and a half demon. Each held a thick tea bowl, or _chawan_, of water and green herb and as was custom in the cooling winter, deeper bowls were used to hold the heat of the tea. A stone lantern cast a shadow of light across the circle of friends, each enjoying the serenity of the sitting garden that spread from the foot of the raised platform.

The demon, InuYasha, sat back peacefully against a nearby wooden post, the beginning of a stunted, dark wood rail that surrounded the veranda. It followed the steps to the strolling gardens on the eastern wall of the house. Kagome watched from an appropriate distance to his side, she remembered younger days when she hadn't had to worry about her behaviour with the opposite sex, or gossip amongst the villagers, but these were different times, different circumstances.

She had given InuYasha her favourite bowl, the one she had named after him. It was finely painted with an unending chain of delicate peach blossom.

She had broken it once.

The dark lacquer was starting to show under the wearing powdered gold and she recalled the painful hours she had sat to piece it back together.

That day, the servant girl, Komuko, had found her crying over the scattered and half glued bowl. She had not understood the reason for her state of upset. But not wanting Kagome to be found in such a state by her employer, Komuko had mistakenly tried to comfort her by assurances that the master would not be angry at her clumsiness. Kagome had only cried all the more.

She watched as he peered inside the bowl, cupped more gracefully than she thought possible with claws. What could he see in those fragile confines of clay? Did the kaleidoscope of herb and leaf spell things to him and share secrets that she couldn't know? No, he wasn't staring _into_ the cup, she realised. He was lost to himself; staring _through_ it.

He seemed unusually pensive tonight, and for reasons Kagome could not place. Could it be the new moon tomorrow night? No, it can't be, she thought. Although he still won't let anyone see him on his human night, he isn't bothered by it as much anymore, certainly not this much.

She knew it would be useless to ask; he'd never let on to something bothering him. For now she was content enough just to be in his presence, watching closely and waiting patiently for that moment when he would, inevitably, confide his worries in her. Or she would find out from someone else.

She looked around when Miroku cleared his throat. The monk waited for everyone's attention and then dropped his eyes to his bowl. "Well, I have someth-"

A small hand had caught his wrist, and he stopped. Sango held his gaze for a moment comforting him with a soft smile. Kagome, InuYasha and Shippo looked between each other, confused; it was rare to see Sango show such affection to Miroku in company.

"_We_ have something to share with you all," the slayer continued in his place. Miroku gripped Sango's hand tightly as the she spoke. His knuckles whitened and there was a slight tremble in his arm.

"Well, get on with it then!" Kagome turned to gave InuYasha a look that wasn't as stern as she'd intended. It was relieving to see him being his impatient self again.

Sango cleared her throat, a soft, almost unnecessary sound and continued, "I'm… I'm with child." She looked almost apologetic. Miroku's hand gripped tighter to hers, but he did not smile, instead he stood, excusing himself, and walked into the house through the lathed door. InuYasha noticed but looked back out to the garden once more and then to the others.

It was difficult to tell who was more excited, Kagome or Shippo. Both cried out happily and quickly embraced the slayer. "Oh Sango, this is wonderful news, I'm so happy for both of you! Do know how far along you are?" Kagome asked, but her smile fell when she seen the bitter look on Sango's face, her eyes swollen and glass-like. "Sango, are you-"

The slayer sniffed into her sleeve and stood, "I'm fine Kagome. It's just that I'm a little overwhelmed, and it's late and I need to find Miroku. Thank you for the tea, but I really should be getting back now. Sorry." She bowed to Kagome and left slow and paced enough to not be considered rude, but everyone present knew she had broken into a jog when she was out of sight.

Kagome was still staring at the doorway when Shippo awkwardly spoke up, "Uh, Kagome, I really should be going now too. Kaede said not to stay too long this time since it's colder and darker out. Thank you for the tea and I promise I'll come over again tomorrow. I know how bored you get here during the day." He hugged closer to Kagome's scarlet karaginu, the jacket that covered the many layers of her robes, and left with the soft pads of his feet.

Kagome turned to see InuYasha's back to her and she smiled. They were alone.

1

"That was… unexpected." She lightly laughed as she sat closer to him, dangling her feet over the edge of the raised veranda. He said nothing but he shifted to copy her, his legs reaching that much closer to the ground below.

"I wonder what was wrong with Miroku, he's always seemed so eager to have children. Although I'm pretty sure it's the _making_ part he enjoys the most, he _was_ always so determined to have a son to continue his line." Kagome continued, carefully watching for any reaction out of InuYasha.

She wiggled her toes in her cotton tabi as the cold seeped through to her feet. She preferred the modern version; they were a lot less irritating.

"Maybe he's not the father." InuYasha supplied and Kagome gasped.

"You don't really believe that do you!" She looked angrily at him.

"_No_, of course I don't! It was a _joke_ Kagome." He shouted back, and then calmly added, "I don't think Sango being pregnant is what's troubling him."

"But you saw how he acted when she told us! Poor Sango, she looked _so_ upset." Kagome looked grimly at her feet again and then over to InuYasha, "What do you think the problem is?"

"The circumstances," he mumbled and looked away, digging his claws into the wooden edging.

"Circumstances? ...You mean because they aren't married yet?" And Kagome suddenly realised the situation _was_ more complicated than it seemed. The villagers would not make life easy for Sango, bearing a 'bastard' child. As a woman with a profession deemed inappropriate for her gender, they already treated her with heavy disdain. This treatment did not anger Sango nor bring her shame for she was proud and strong in her heritage.

But would it be the same when it was towards her child?

InuYasha looked at Kagome's innocent and reflective expression. Could she have forgotten so easily? I suppose she's had other responsibilities and duties to think of for so long now, he reasoned and it angered him.

"No," he said and the words held the bite he had tried to keep hidden, "I mean the _curse_, _Naraku's death_, the _jewel_, everything! God Kagome, how could you forget?"

Kagome didn't look at him. She was silent for the longest time and he thought she wasn't going speak or she was going to get up and leave. He waited in the hope that she wouldn't over-react to his outburst.

"I never forget," she eventually said, and he saw that her eyes were tightly closed. What is she seeing? He asked himself, and his eyes followed the gentle slope of her raised chin, smoothing their way down to the small bump that moved with her swallow.

He didn't regret what he had said, maybe just how he had said it. Some things should never be forgotten, he thought firmly, and others simply can't be forgotten no matter how hard you try. He saw Kikyo's face; as her arrow pierced his heart, as she fell from the cliff to her second death, as she walked away from him for the last time. And then he saw Kagome's face; when she cried because of him, when she cried for him, when she held him and when she smiled for him.

"I never forget either." He said softly, "But sometimes…"

And she waited.

"Sometimes it can be so hard."

Kagome looked at him then, tasted the sadness of each word and then she looked away and to the windows. The rooms were dark, lanterns unlit; the servants where asleep and they were unwatched, so she moved closer to him and he felt her head rest upon his shoulder.

He moved closer too, and his hand twitched on the floor behind her.

2

Kagome returned to the soft blankets of the futon when he left and was grateful to be alone.

It was so cold.

But she was glad that no familiar, unclothed body lay in wait. No hands would gently caress her, no soft words would attempt to assure her, coax her. She would not lie beneath that body in stillness as the tears rolled from her lashes.

Not tonight.

3

When the cock crowed Kagome was still awake. It was a bitter morning, colder than any in the last few weeks. Bitter air told her the snows would fall soon, chased by the wind from the mountain tops.

She smiled at the fresh breaths she drew and raised from the sheets to tie back her hair. It was longer, wavier, and she found that she didn't want to cut it shorter again because she knew he liked to stroke it.

Pulling old, dark robes from the chest that rested in the corner Kagome continued to dress. She hoped the servant girl, Komuko, would not enter and coax her into something more 'appropriate' as she usually would. The many layers of the formal robes felt restrictive, heavy and labelling. They were chains.

And was there reason to dress so ornately, only to get dirty at the markets? The courtly women of this era confused Kagome with their pointless rituals and vanity, and in return they treated her with contempt, hatred and jealousy. But her heart was already numb to their insults.

Slipping quietly and gracefully between the lathed doors and across the tatami mat floors, she made her way to the streets unnoticed. She liked the rough brush of the worn kimono on her bare skin.

It was earlier than she had first thought, fewer villagers where about and the court women were unseen.

Such a beautiful and cold sunrise, she thought, continuing through the gardens to the markets with a small smile.

4

The fishermen called loudly to one another across the worn street-way, the small harbour swimming with the sweet smells of fish and crab and seaweeds and other sea plunder. Old women sat nearby repairing nets with heavy stitches.

Half an hour had passed and Kagome held the fish she had bartered from the food stalls. It was still early and as she passed her home once more she saw no sign of her husband having returned. Was it wrong that this pleased her?

The breeze picked up whipping strands of her hair loose from its tie as she passed the smaller houses that surrounded her own. A few samurai wandered by, heading for a change of guard at the gates, but there were few others in this area at such an early hour.

Following a small stone wall out of the village, Kagome sighed when she felt the soft crush of grass beneath her feet. His house was in sight; small, clean and almost empty. Yet there was no question to her who lived in it, it held his marks, as slight as they were.

"InuYasha?" She called as she entered, brushing aside the sweep of bamboo that held to the doorframe like a soft lace veil.

He isn't here but he hasn't been gone long, she thought, looking at the still smouldering hearth. It was sunk into the floor and encased by fine and fresh tatami mats. Kagome set the fish upon the mat, still bound by dried seaweed leaves, and sat close to the gentle heat.

5

"Hello?" InuYasha stepped through the doorway clutching several logs with one arm and a small, dead rabbit in the other. Its plump feet swayed with his steps and he sat beside her, pushing the logs into the hearth.

Kagome held back a frown at the small rabbit, and smiled at him.

"How long have you been here?" He asked.

"Not long. I thought I'd drop round this fish, Komuko bought too much this morning, and I know you like it."

He looked at the bundle and started to place it on a spit above the flames he had raised from the smouldering ash. "Thanks. That's almost everyday now, haven't you told her she's buying too much?"

"She's young, forgetful." Kagome lied.

"She's not doing her job. You should get someone who can follow orders properly." InuYasha replied sternly.

"She's sweet, I like her. And it's not like you can talk. Since when have you ever followed someone else's orders?" She smiled at him.

"I don't _need_ to follow anyone else's orders, woman. It's not like I'm working for someone anyway. I only do what I have to, for me." He said, with a matter-of-fact tone, as he poked at the fish and attempted to hide the small rabbit Kagome kept giving disapproving looks towards.

"You always protected me. You didn't have to do that." She pointed out as he handed her a small fish.

"Yes I did." And when she looked at him, and he looked into her eyes, he added quickly, "Because you're a weak human, and it's not like you could protect yourself. We needed you to find the jewel."

Kagome's look of adoration became one of exasperation and wisdom. "Who're you trying to kid? You know as well as I do that's not the reason."

He looked shocked, something she could not explain. She had anticipated denial. "Then what is?"

"Because I'm your friend." She lied.

He snorted, but he didn't deny it. He was too relieved to try. "I can't protect you anymore," he said sadly.

"Why not?" She demanded, confused.

"Because it's not my job anymore, Kagome… it's your husbands."

Then there was silence. Neither looked directly at the other and Kagome felt her heart numb. Both sat looking into the flames, searching for answers and comfort and a way to forget, to pretend.

Suddenly Kagome asked, "how come you didn't smell it?" and the moment was broken. She continued to chew on her fish.

"Smell what?" He stopped tearing his own fish apart to look at her.

"That Sango was pregnant."

"Oh." He looked away, "I don't know."

"Really, you don't know?" She repeated, looking toward him suspiciously.

"No." He said uncertainly.

"That's funny, because _I_ do."

"You do?"

"Yes. And I want to know what it is that's had you thinking so hard recently, _and_ why you've been so quiet and distracted. It's not like you." She pulled his face towards hers with a clean hand.

"I haven't been- hey! Are you trying to call me stupid?"

"I wasn't _trying_." She said defiantly, "Now tell me what's been bothering you so much!"

"It's none of your- just leave it, alright?"

"Fine." She said angrily and threw her fish bones into the hearth. "But you will tell me eventually, won't you?" Kagome added when he refused to speak.

"Maybe."

She smiled. "Tonight's the new moon, you know."

"Yeah, I know." He said softly. He had already left supplies in the forest.

"It would be safer if you stayed in the house." She looked meaningfully at him.

"No."

"No?" Kagome echoed, "Won't you even consider it? You know it doesn't matter anymore, Naraku's dead and the villagers here accept you for who you are."

"Do you really believe that?" InuYasha asked, scowling and digging his claws into the floorboards.

"Believe which; about the villagers or about Naraku?"

"Naraku," he said, though he had meant both. He rose from the floor and stood by a window that framed the large and swelling peach tree outside.

"No. I don't. But he's gone, that much is true. Two years is a long time to have heard nothing from him …I wonder why he gave up." She looked thoughtfully into the fire again. Maybe he really is dead, she thought, though she dared not say it.

InuYasha laughed bitterly, "I don't think Naraku will ever give up." Then he looked over to her sadly, "I hate that you carry that around, you know."

She smiled softly back and pulled the jewel from under her robes. "I know."

He quickly looked outside again and cleared his throat. It was a beautiful day; cold, but clear and bright. He'll be home soon, InuYasha thought, it's not right to keep her here. But he didn't want to let her go either. "You'd better go."

"Yeah," she replied. She knew her husband would be waiting for her. And she wished somehow, someway, things had been different.

Kagome left without another word, and InuYasha began to clean the rabbit for later.


	2. Hard to Love, Hard to Hate

Hope to a Future

Disclaimer; I do not own InuYasha or any of its characters, etc, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

I have big plans for this story, and it's nice to get away from homework for a while. I'd really appreciate some constructive criticism as I'm not totally happy with my writing style and I'm sure you guys can give me a hand with that ;)

A big kiss to Ladydot, who was my only reviewer : ( but I'll take quality over quantity. Thanks for the enthusiasm and support, it's very much appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to read this; I'm really enjoying writing it.

Hard to Hate, Hard to Love...

It was a darker afternoon by the time Kagome reached her home again. Passing the stables she noted her husband's horse, Kinryu, had been returned. So he's definitely home, she thought, is it so wrong that I wish he was gone longer?

She slid the shoji door to the main room open, smiling to Komuko as stumbled past with bundles of cloth. The room was small, square and set down from the corridor she had just passed along. Her husband sat, with his legs crossed, near the open lathed door that led to her favourite veranda. He cupped a small bowl of cha in his hands.

He was a tall man, broad though lean, and his face was handsome and smooth. His dark hair fell over his eyes, and having rarely been cut, was bound loosely at the back. He was a soft, sensitive man and Kagome could not fault his adoration of her.

"How was your trip Shuji?" Kagome asked, watching the birds beyond the doors fly freely around the gardens.

He looked up, noticing her for the first time; he had been in deep thought. He smiled gently, patting the floor beside him with his large, soft hands. "I missed you."

Kagome smiled and sat on her knees beside him. "Did you meet with your father?"

"Yes," he replied and frowned.

"What's wrong?" She asked, though she knew meetings with his father rarely went well.

"There were some important issues raised, things I need to decide."

"Oh?" Kagome said softly, hoping to coax some more information from him.

"Yes," he said, pausing to drink his tea. "How has your week been in my absence?"

Not long enough, she thought as he placed a hand on her knee, but she replied, "Too long," smiled, and placed a hand upon his.

He laughed gently, "I'm sorry for leaving for so long, Kagome-chan, but you know how my father is. I shall have to make up for the time I have lost with you."

She smiled, blushing lightly. "Was your brother there?"

Shuji's smile faltered momentarily, "Yes," he said, and then leaned over to place a kiss upon her lips. "But let's not discuss it right now, I've missed you."

"Shuji," Kagome sighed softly, leaning into his embrace. His hands gently found their way between her robes, smoothing down the skin of her breasts, and they were warm against her cold flesh. They were too warm, too soft.

And without another word he picked her up, carrying her to their bed chamber.

1

It was late when she roused but it was not yet night. Sliding from underneath the sweaty arms that held her to the futon, Kagome searched for her discarded scarlet robes but they were gone. Komuko has been, she thought. Silently she pulled a soft silk kimono from her bed-chest and crept onto the veranda.

Kagome sat upon the edge just as she had with InuYasha the night previous and closed her eyes. It was so cold and the scent of icy dew and the barely sweet loquats soothed her troubled mind. Slowly the tears fell, a droplet gliding down the bridge of her nose and slipping from the end to land upon her hand.

"Kagome-chan?"

She quickly rubbed away the tears, steadying herself with breaths of cool evening air. "Yes Shuji?"

The doors slid open once more, Shuji still tying his brown robes about himself. He sat beside her, clasping his hands in his lap. "Why did you not lay with me longer? It is a cold night and yet you would rather be here than in my embrace?" He asked her softly.

She sniffed. "I was too warm Shuji. I just needed some air, some space."

He looked at her closely and pulled her under his arm, "Have you been crying Kagome?" He trailed his fingers lightly upon her cheeks.

She said nothing but another tear dropped from the tip of her nose.

"Don't cry, please, _tell_ me what is troubling you."

Kagome swallowed the burning feeling in her throat and looked up to him, wiping her tears once more upon her sleeve. "Oh, I'm just sad for my friend," she lied, pulling away from his embrace.

"Sango-san?" He asked.

"Yes… She is in love."

He laughed, "And why does this make you cry for her? Is she not happy?"

"She cannot marry the man she loves."

"Why not? Does he not love her in return? Will he not marry her?"

"Yes, he loves her dearly, but he won't marry her yet. There are things in the way that need to be resolved first."

"Can she not wait until these… 'things' have been seen to?"

"She has been waiting a long time. It's been almost two years now." Kagome said, looking into the gardens, following the gentle spirals of a blossom in the wind.

"Then what are a few more years?"

"Things have become a little more complicated recently."

Shuji sighed, "I'm sorry Kagome, I wish your friend did not have such misfortune, but you should stay strong for her. No tears." He wiped her face again with his slender thumb. His smile was soft as he tried to comfort her, but she did not speak, nor did she smile in return, so he added, "Sango-san is a strong and beautiful woman herself, she will be fine."

Kagome looked up from the trees and finally smiled to him, "Thank you Shuji." She replied and placed her hand on his; he sighed again.

"I cannot imagine seeing the one I love everyday, knowing I could not be with them." He said pulling her towards him again, missing the little droplets that landed in his lap and wet his kimono.

2

The sun had set as Kagome reached Sango's home. It was silent, but the harsh flicker of a lantern lit the window; the top half of the shoji was still swung up from that morning.

"Sango?" Kagome tapped on the door again, looking around at the smaller gardens.

The lathed door slid open, Miroku quickly ushering her inside. His clothes were disorganised, layered improperly and Kagome smiled slyly, now knowing why Sango had forgotten to close the windows that afternoon. "Miroku, isn't that what got you into trouble in the first place?" She laughed.

He looked down at his clothes and sighed, "Excuse me Kagome. Sango will be right out, help yourself to some tea." Then he left through a small corridor to the left, she barely heard the doors sliding closed behind him.

"Kagome!"

"Sango, I came to see how you were after the little announcement yesterday." Kagome said and poured her some _cha_ from the tea caddy in the hearth.

Sango frowned when Kagome handed her the cup, looking irritated. "Miroku!" She shouted, "How could you make our guest serve her own tea!" She looked back at Kagome, "I'm really sorry Kagome; sometimes it's blatantly obvious that monk was raised only by men."

"It's OK Sango, really, Miroku was a little… indecent for company." Kagome reassured, pulling the woman into sitting beside her.

"Indecent?" She asked, looking confused, then angry. "I hope he didn't answer the door wearing no-"

"No! No! Nothing like that!" Kagome quickly interrupted, "His robes were just in the wrong order."

Sango blushed when Kagome laughed lightly, and drank some of her tea.

Kagome watched the slayer lay a hand across her belly and smiled. "So, how are you?"

She sighed, "I'm fine Kagome, honestly. Miroku and I had a long talk yesterday night and we both feel a lot better."

Kagome reached out and placed a hand on Sango's, "I'm glad." When Sango smiled in return Kagome spoke again, "Oh! I just remembered, here I brought you these." She handed over a small bundle of dried herbs and greens.

"What are those?" Miroku asked from the doorway, his robes detangled and fixed appropriately.

Kagome looked up to him and then back to Sango, "They're for nausea, I thought Sango could use them."

"But Kagome, I've been feeling fine."

"Well, not all women get sick when they're pregnant; I suppose it's just down to luck... but better safe than sorry, right?" She laughed gently.

Sango laughed too, and hugged Kagome. "Thank you, I'm sure you're right." She sat back again, "Have you thought about… having children? You'd make a great mother."

Kagome coughed, and then stood uneasily. "Um, no I hadn't really thought about it I suppose," she lied. "But really, I need to be going, there's another stop I need to make before I return home. I just came to see how you were and to drop those off."

Sango frowned, "Okay, well be sure to come and visit tomorrow, I'll probably come around later that night. Miroku has to journey some ways west to a small village for an exorcism and I hate being alone here all day." She was already picturing him making passes at the village women and knew after a few hours of his absence she'd have worried herself into anger; she knew Kagome's company would keep her mind busy.

"Yes Kagome, you're always welcome in our home." Miroku said with a small bow. "Oh, and be careful, I heard talk of demon attacks in other towns and villages in the market this afternoon."

"Really? That's strange, it's been so long." I wonder if this has anything to do with Shuji's meetings with his father? I'll have to ask him later, she thought.

"Yes, well, just be careful."

"Okay, thanks… and goodnight. Safe journey Miroku and I'll see you tomorrow Sango." She waved one last time and walked out into the dark.

3

Sango's house was closer to the forest than her own so Kagome did not have to pass her home to reach InuYasha's house. When she arrived at his door she knew already that he was not there, but she stepped in with the hope that maybe he had listened to her, maybe.

"InuYa-" She stopped when she noticed the unlit hearth, undisturbed futon and lack of food in the small one-roomed home. Instead of calling out again she sighed and dropped a small parcel of tea herbs and rice beside the futon in the corner, and then she left for the forest.

Perhaps half an hour had passed, Kagome was unsure; the darkness had a way of distorting her perceptions. She was about to turn back when a loud growl sounded from her left, followed by, "Get out of the forest before I gut you like a fish."

She recognised the voice instantly, and angry at his rudeness and threatening behaviour, shouted, "Fine! I only came to check if you were OK, but if you're gonna be like that!" But before she could leave a hand wrapped around her wrist and she tried to pulled away.

"What are you _doing_ out here at this time of night? Are you _crazy _wench? Do you know how dangerous it is here?" He wasn't shouting but his fierce whispers caused her stop struggling.

"I just told you, I wanted to check you were OK. And what do you mean dangerous?" She half shouted, "We've hardly heard word of a demon or an attack, God, even a bandit, since Naraku disappeared and the daimyo announced his son's succession!"

He didn't reply.

"InuYasha, is there something you're not telling me?"

He still said nothing.

"Miroku mentioned something about demon attacks in nearby villages, but I thought it was just the usual small-time demon looking for his dinner. But you know something as well, and you're not telling me. Now _what is it!_" She grabbed hold of his upper arm and shook it in frustration. Why am I always left in the dark? Why does everyone think keeping me ignorant is protecting me? She thought.

"Come on and I'll start a fire. Then I'll explain what I know."

"Fine." And she let him lead her by the wrist off the beaten path and, as best she could tell in the darkness, through some damp shrubs into a clearing. The sticky dew licked her hands as she brushed against the leaves and when he lit a bundle of twigs and logs nearby she quickly threw a slug off her forearm in disgust.

He sat back, once more cradling tetsusaiga across his shoulder and covering his hands in the shroud of his haori. "There have been reports of nearby and distant villages being attacked by demons. I'd heard from some travellers, when they where passing through earlier, as well."

The flames were burning in his dark and violent eyes.

Kagome looked thoughtfully to the skies, and then admired the shimmer of his black hair in the firelight as she spoke, "But there's always been the odd attack, I've heard Shu- people talking about about them every now and then. Why is everyone so concerned this time?"

InuYasha calmly fisted some twigs in his fingers, snapping them methodically into equal pieces. "The travellers said they haven't been taking anything; they've just been slaughtering whole villages of humans and destroying everything they can get their disgusting hands on." He threw the wood into the fire, poking it savagely with another thick log.

Kagome looked confused. "Why would they do that? They have to be after something, they're _always _after something."

"That's not the strange part." This time his eyes met hers, and for a brief moment she thought she fear. And then it was gone; replaced by confusion, anger and sadness. Whatever it was, by his reaction, was making her tremble. Her heart was pounding and her mouth dry.

"What-" She cleared her throat to get rid of the nervous husk that held her throat, "What is it, InuYasha?"

"I went to check out the villages that were 'attacked' yesterday before I arrived at your home."

"And?"

He shifted closer. "Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?" She knew he could see her confusion and probably smell her nervousness, so why's he being so cryptic and taking so long to explain? She thought.

"I mean just what I said! Nothing!" He growled, "The villages were still standing, the villagers were OK, and there was absolutely no sign of any attack."

Kagome couldn't speak because, of all the things she had anticipated him saying, that was not it and she wasn't sure what it meant. "So…"

"So someone's lying." He growled.

"But why would they lie about something so horrible?" She was even more confused and somewhat disgusted.

He sighed softly and looked away. "I don't know, I haven't figured that out yet." And for the first time she could see he was worried.

Cautiously her hand found his, and she pulled her body closer, resting her face against his sleeve; breathing in the sweaty, milky-sweet smell of his haori.

When he looked down from the stars he found her sleeping softly, small sighs bubbling through her barely parted lips. And he wanted to be closer, wanted to be far away. I should send her home, he thought, but reasoned to himself that it would be too dangerous on this moonless night and that he was in no fit state to protect her.

Instead of waking her he smiled and pulled her closer. He would not sleep on this night, but at least he wasn't alone.


End file.
